At what distance from a mass M does the gravitational potential become zero?

Practice Questions

Q1
At what distance from a mass M does the gravitational potential become zero?
  1. At infinity
  2. At the surface of the mass
  3. At 1 meter
  4. At 2 meters

Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions

At what distance from a mass M does the gravitational potential become zero?
  • Step 1: Understand that gravitational potential (V) is a measure of the potential energy per unit mass at a point in a gravitational field.
  • Step 2: Know that the gravitational potential due to a mass M at a distance r is given by the formula V = -GM/r, where G is the gravitational constant.
  • Step 3: Recognize that as the distance r increases (moves away from the mass M), the value of V becomes less negative.
  • Step 4: Realize that as r approaches infinity (very far away from the mass), the value of V approaches zero.
  • Step 5: Conclude that the gravitational potential becomes zero at an infinite distance from the mass M.
  • Gravitational Potential – Gravitational potential is the work done per unit mass to bring a mass from infinity to a point in the gravitational field.
  • Distance and Gravitational Potential – The gravitational potential decreases as the distance from the mass increases, approaching zero at infinity.
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